This was the first time we received responses from service providers, which provide linked data services for their customers.

40% of the linked data implementations in production that were described in the 2018 survey have been in production for more than four years.

More respondents reported that their linked data project or service was successful or “mostly” successful in 2018 than in 2015 (56% compared to 41%); fewer didn’t know yet as their projects were still at an early stage (either not yet in production or implemented just recently).

Among those publishing linked data, we observe substantial increases in the use of Schema.org and BibFrame, and decreased usage of SKOS and FOAF, in particular.

Among the top ten linked data sources consumed, the biggest change was the surge in consuming Wikidata, more than four times that reported by respondents in 2015. This change was so marked, that Smith-Yoshimura wrote about it on HangingTogether in the post The rise of Wikidata as a linked data source. There were also big increases in consuming WorldCat.org and ISNI.

Gary Price (gprice@mediasourceinc.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. Before launching INFOdocket, Price and Shirl Kennedy were the founders and senior editors at ResourceShelf and DocuTicker for 10 years. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com, and is currently a contributing editor at Search Engine Land.